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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Artist Mona Oman, of Livingston, has been painting murals for her community and public schools since 2015. Her intention for the project at I.S. 49, Berta A. Dreyfus and The Eagle Academy for Young Men of Staten Island, in Stapleton, was to bring together the many pieces of what makes life so beautiful: Nature, art and community.
Oman says: “There is no better way to achieve this connection than to present our community with bright, colorful imagery of wildlife native to our hometown of Staten Island.”
The school colors were also incorporated into the mural.
Oman is focused on bringing good feelings via art everywhere she goes. She created a 2-D garden on the wall at the school entrance. She had help from the students, who learned about plants and then practiced an art form.
“I think ‘Let’s Grow Together’ is my personal path, which I’d like to incorporate into as many schools as will have me, so we can build together as people, creating pretty floral art, like a garden, everywhere we can.”
Sherwin Williams on Hylan Boulevard provided the paints and materials. This was a two-part project. After visiting the Native Plant Center in March with the students, they met for three after-school art classes, where they drew native plants. Then, the group spoke about the mural layout and design concepts. The students also learned about drawing techniques and proportions.
Months later, the final creation shows how Oman used visuals and words from the botanical visit to design a vast mural, becoming the new exterior face of the I.S.49 school building at 101 Warren St. The gigantic mural visually transforms the school and the neighborhood.
Now completed, the mural unveiling was recently celebrated with students and school officials outside the school.
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